Maputo — The Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Mozambique's Road Fund, Ângelo Macuácua, has revealed that the tolls installed just over a year ago on national roads, mainly on the main north- south highway (EN1), have already earned one billion Meticais (15.7 million dollars, at the current exchange rate).

"The objective was to generate resources to maintain the roads and this is being achieved', Macuácua told the press recently, on the sidelines of the Annual Joint Evaluation Meeting of the Integrated Road Sector Program, 2022.

According to Macuácua, the amount is already being used for road rehabilitation and maintenance, and this means that the objectives of the tolls are being achieved.

The toll gates, seven in total, installed under the Sustainable Road Maintenance Program (PROASME), raised controversy when they were installed on various national roads.

They have been operational since June 2022, and the tolls paid range from 50 Meticais to 1,000 Meticais, depending on the nature of the vehicle, with the largest tolls being paid by the heaviest trucks.

These fees are applied at the tolls of Chidenguele on the Xai-Xai -Zandamela section of EN1; Nhacundela which covers the Zandamela - Lindela section; Malova, on the Lindela - Nhachengue section and Mapinhane, which is between Nhachengue and Pambara, all located in the south of the country.

There is also the Camuaza - Chenga toll gate, located on the EN7 highway between Catandica and Changara, in the central province of Manica. These fees are also applied at the Congerenge toll gate, between Lichinga and Mandimba; and at the Utukulo toll gate, between Mandimba and Cuamba, both on the EN13 road, in the Northern Province of Niassa.